


Bonded

by DrewJustine



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Potions Accident
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-01-04
Packaged: 2018-09-14 19:55:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9200039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrewJustine/pseuds/DrewJustine
Summary: A potions accident leads to an irreversible mistake that will leave the two bonded for life.





	1. Chapter One

Chapter One

Hermione Granger was a sensible person, she never made a decision without weighing all her options. Sometimes this could make her a bit of a control freak, but who could blame her. If she wasn’t in charge she couldn’t make the decisions, and if she didn’t make the decisions then who could guarantee the correct one was being made? This might make her a ‘difficult person” according to some people, but it’s who she is, and why would anyone expect for her to change herself just to please another person? Hopefully no one, and no matter who even wanted her to she certainly wasn’t going to comply, who was she if not a warrior?   
Hermione started the day as any other, she went to her classes, she studied every free moment she could possibly find, and she made sure she always had a book on hand. She couldn’t say she was particularly excited about today’s potion lesson with the Slytherins, but as always, she was happy just to get the opportunity to, hopefully, learn something new. She briskly made her way down the corridor, she wanted to get there early as usual but she was running a bit behind and she may not get to sit as close as she would like.   
She burst into the room and looked around for empty seats, just her luck there was only one in the front row, next to Malfoy. Hermione was sure that she could suffer the ferret for a class period, or else she would be forced to sit somewhere in the middle of the class Malfoy didn’t talk much these days, the war seemed to suck the snot right out of his personality, not to say that he wasn’t still an insufferable prick.   
Mustering up some of her famous Gryffindor courage, she pointed her chin high and marched over to the seat she so desired. She promptly put her stuff down and sat on the stool, she didn’t even look in Malfoy’s direction. 

 

Nothing was said for a moment.   
“Tell me Granger, what exactly do you think you are doing?” Malfoy drawled.  
“Well It seems as if I’m sitting in the only seat that is available in the front of the classroom.”  
“Very well then, I don’t suppose anyone would think less of you. Just please try to keep interaction down to a minimum.” he turned away from her as he said this and reburied himself into the book he had been occupying himself with before she walked up.  
She snorted “I’m not exactly sure why you would think I would want to interact with you more than necessary.” she replied.   
“Well Granger it seems that you are now.”   
That seemed to get her to shut up.

They seemed to progress the next few minutes of class without a hitch. Professor Slughorn bumbled to the front of the class and started to go over a very complicated potion while Hermione payed rapt attention and seemed to wrote down every word the professor wrote, while a couple inches away Draco sat there seeming to only take minimal notes.  
Today they would be brewing a very complicated potion that would give a certain witch or wizard extreme empathy to the first individual to come in contact with them after they had ingested the potion. Hermione saw the danger while Draco saw the power in the potion. 

The class was sent off to collect the ingredients and brew the potion. Hermione drew in a deep breath and seemed to find new courage because not only did Hermione have to sit next to Draco during the lecture, she now also had to brew this potion with him which was going to take the better half of the next three hours. Draco was just mildly annoyed; the only positive point he could find in this situation was that Granger was the only one who had ever been able to beat his potion skills so maybe she wouldn’t screw this up. But that was only a maybe.  
They gathered their ingredients and warmed their cauldron without saying a word to each other. The potion making process had begun and now minimal words were exchanged between the two. They progressed and followed the potion step by step, not a mistake was to be made.  
Hermione was deep in concentration, “Alright I am now adding ash bark covered in a single unicorn hair.” She carefully dropped the ingredients in and the two watched as the potion turned a brilliant pink instead of the calm blue it was supposed to be. Hermione was now panicking.  
“Malfoy, what exactly is happening right now? This is not what the direction say.”  
Draco clenched and unclenched his jaw a couple times trying to control his anger before he said anything, “Well Ganger that might be because I had already added those ingredients five minutes ago like we were supposed to.”  
Hermione looked up shocked “What do you mean? And why didn’t you say anything!” she was now shrieking and drawing the attention of the whole class. “Oh my Godric, I have never messed up a potion in my life, my perfect record is ruined!” 

Slughorn rushed over at the commotion, several students remarked that that was the quickest anyone had ever seen him move.   
“What is going on over here?”  
It took him a minute to get the phrase out as he was gasping for breath from moving across the classroom so quickly.  
Hermione couldn’t help the tears that came to her eyes “Well Professor, it looks as if I have added the ash covered in a single unicorn hair a few minutes after Draco added it himself. I’m so sorry.”  
Slughorn seemed to pale completely and his mouth started opening and closing his mouth so he seemed to resemble a fish. Draco rolled his eyes, while he was extremely annoyed at Granger’s mistake he didn’t think it was as big of a deal as Slughorn was seeming to make it.   
“Sir with all due respect sure she messed up the potion. While she is Hermione Granger and everyone is probably shocked it’s not that big of a deal.” he drawled.   
Slughorn dropped down into the nearest chair.  
“Class is dismissed. Ms. Granger and Mr. Malfoy need to stay.” He seemed to choke out. 

Hermione was trying not to start bawling her eyes out. This had to be a major screw up. Not only did Slughorn end class abruptly, make them stay behind, he called the Head Mistress and he wouldn’t even look at either of them. Sure she made mistakes, everyone does, but she wasn’t one to make mistakes this big.   
The Head Mistress rushed into the room, “Is there anyone way to reverse it Horace?”  
All eyes turned to Professor Slughorn and he slowly shook his head “I am afraid not Minerva. It looks as if they are bonded for life.”


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

 

Disclaimer: I know I did not include this in my first chapter but in no way shape or form do I have any rights to Harry Potter or any included characters as they belong to J. K. Rowling.

 

Hermione was flushed “Excuse me Professor but I believe you have to be mistaken. The potion has not touched our skin or been ingested so how could that even be possible?”  
The Head Mistress’ mouth somehow seemed to be pinched more than usual “Well Ms. Ganger this is a special, ceremonial potion. The two people who make the potion are then bonded. You two may want to sit down before I explain the rest.”  
Hermione didn’t quite know why but Draco had already followed McGonagall’s instructions, so she did as well. The Head Mistress moved directly in front of the two to resume her explanation.  
“This form of bonding is extremely old and was used in the days before a spell was created to basically have the same affects as the potion you two have now made. The original potion was made to have extreme and complete empathy with the first person you came in contact with after ingesting the potion. Now the difference in the procedures is each person puts in their own prepared ash wrapped in a unicorn hair. This represents the unity of one person’s being and magic united which put together in the potion represents the uniting of the two whole selves and that is all that is needed. The potion is so to be kept somewhere as the representation of the two persons’ essence. Just the act is enough. This potion was never meant to be practiced. If you messed up the potion, you were not to be bonded or married. If you messed up the potion you were not fit enough to be united with another. As far as I’m aware there is no way to reverse the effects. So, our best option would be for the two of you to learn to live with this…situation, until we can find a way to reverse this. If there even is a way.”

Draco was shocked. Out of all days, out of all people. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was supposed to do? What if he was forced to live with Granger for the rest of his life? What if there wasn’t any way to reverse this simple fucking mistake that has been made? He looked over at Ganger who looked as if she was about to lose all the contents in her stomach. If this happened, he wouldn’t be very far behind.   
As if the information hadn’t been enough for the two McGonagall continued loading them with information.   
“Just like the bonding spell for the first month you two cannot be apart for time exceeding thirty minutes. Certain accommodations will have to be made, but the two of you are going to have one bedroom, sit next to each other during meals, and attend all classes together. You two basically have the same schedule just different hours and I feel as if it would suit you if you both follow Ms. Ganger’s schedule. Now you both are also going to be asked to meet with Madame Pomphrey for weekly meetings, she has been married for thirty years and she’ll be able to help you two through bondage, if you both choose to that is.”  
Draco sighed and looked at Granger, she seemed not to be able to process any of this information, she obviously didn’t take bad or shocking news very well. He stood up and he almost seemed to feel as if he had aged many years in the past few hours. He looked at the two elders to see their faces grave as grave can be. They really weren’t kidding. He knew that, but they reinforced the information. It now seemed that no matter how much he didn’t want to he was going to have to be a man and take control of the situation.  
“Alright Head Mistress, I will go to my room and get my stuff then help Granger get her stuff while our room is being arranged and we will move in.” he declared.   
He looked over at Granger and she was still not looking up at him. He rolled his eyes and sighed, “Come on Granger we’ll go to my room first.”  
She looked over at him and slowly nodded her head. Well that was an improvement.   
McGonagall nodded her head as well “Your room will be just off set the library. After the second suit of armor on the right. No password will be set, the two of you can set your own when you are arrived. Also, take the rest of the evening to get adjusted to your…situation, dinner will be sent up to your room.”  
Now it was Draco’s turn to nod his head “Alright I understand, come on Granger.”

The two of them walked side by side down to the dungeons. They didn’t say a word. Hermione wasn’t going to break the silence that was for sure.   
“Ganger when we go in hopefully a lot of people won’t be there so just keep your head down and follow me closely.” Malfoy muttered.   
Hermione wasn’t very keen on the idea of walking through the Slytherin common room and into Malfoy’s room but she was pretty sure she didn’t really have a choice. When they walked up to the door she wasn’t paying attention when he muttered the password, she was lost in the insanity of the whole situation. How could one simple mistake ruin their whole lives? This was definitely all her fault and she wasn’t sure if there was a possibility she could fix this. She followed Malfoy as close as she could without touching him. There were a lot more people than she had hoped for and all eyes were naturally drawn to the both of them. So far no one had said anything. Of course, that didn’t last for very long.   
Two Slytherin males were unidentifiable to Hermione but they had blocked the path of Malfoy and herself   
“What the hell is this Malfoy?”   
“Yeah, what do you think you’re doing?”  
The two of them seemed to be twins.  
Hermione could see the muscle in Draco’s back tense “None of your business now move out of the way.” He all but growled this command.  
“No, we don’t think so.” the two of them said in unison.   
“Get the fuck out of the way!” Malfoy roared and threw the two of them out of the way. “Try and stop me again and I doubt you’ll like the consequences. The two of you are stupid but not that stupid.” 

Hermione had to almost jog to keep up with the speed that Malfoy had now adopted. Eventually they burst into his room and Hermione was a little short of breath. She looked around and noticed that he was the only person who inhibited this room.  
“Um, Malfoy how is this possible?”  
Malfoy looked over his shoulder at her “What you mean having my own room? People kept complaining about how hard I was to live with and so my dad payed a little money to smooth everything over and work this out with Dumbledore.”  
Hermione had to try not to roll her eyes, of course this was the result of his family’s money.   
“Great, Hard to live with. I can hardly wait.” 

The process of cleaning out both of their rooms was not a fun one. They got a lot of stares and whispers. But other than the twins no one tried to say anything. Everyone knew a little something, of course everyone had heard of the big commotion in potions, but no one knew the real story and Hermione wasn’t quite sure how to go on about not only getting used to the situation herself but letting everyone else know what was going on.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
Disclaimer: I still don’t own anything. 

 

The two individuals stood in the middle in their newly packed room. No one said anything, no one moved. That was until Draco felt like he was going to explode. Actually, that idea seemed really appealing, he didn’t really know if he had another option. He had tried so hard, he had to take control and be the calm one which was utter fucking bullshit. He was mad at himself for letting Granger sit with him. Mad at Slughorn for picking this potion. He was furious at Granger for actually fucking up for the first time in her life at the most inopportune moment. He was just mad at everything and that should be allowed because he was stuck in an utterly shitty situation that he didn’t even know if he could fix. Not that any of this was any of his fault. No, it wasn’t her fault. It was Granger’s. This whole bloody situation was all her fault. He had fallen into her little trap just like everyone else. Oh, is perfect little Granger maybe she can actually help my potion skills. He mocked himself, and he deserved it. He was as stupid as her.  
Speaking of the devil.  
“Malfoy, I am so sorry.” She said this so quietly he almost didn’t hear her over his rage.  
“Sorry?” he hissed, “Oh you’re bloody sorry. How is that going to fix anything.”  
He spun around just in time to see anger take over her face as well.   
“Well what else am I supposed to do at this moment Malfoy? I thought that sorry would count as something, even to the likes of you. I made a mistake okay? I didn’t know a mistake was such a big deal.”  
Draco rushed towards her and grabbed her arms “Just a mistake? Don’t you realize what you’ve done you stupid stupid girl?”   
He actually shook her a little bit in hopes he would knock out any nonsense that was there and make room for reality.   
“Let go of me.” Granger’s steely tone cut directly though his anger.   
He quickly released her as if her skin was on fire, and backed away quickly. 

Hermione could not believe that prat thought it was acceptable to handle her that way. Technically she was his wife and that should give him extra reason not to touch her that way. That was a scary thought, Malfoy’s wife. That was her. Not that he or anyone else saw her that way, but that’s what this mistake had cost her, love. Not that she was in love with anyone but this wasn’t exactly how she envisioned getting married. But it is what it is, and she supposed this was her fault anyways.   
A knock on the door interrupted her thought, she opened it and there was a house elf holding two, three course meals for Malfoy and herself.  
“Hi! I’ve never seen you around here, what’s your name?” Hermione asked cheerfully.   
Before the poor, little house elf could answer Malfoy elbowed his way between them and took the food out of the creature’s hands.   
“Who cares what it’s bloody name is Granger; this isn’t time for your bloody spew project.” he mumbled. Food in hand he turned around and shut the door behind him.  
“It is not spew Malfoy it is S.P.E.W., and it is always time.” Hermione retorted.   
Malfoy had set the food down on the table, “Oh who cares what it’s called sit down and eat.”  
Hermione made her way over to the cozy little table and lowered herself into the seat, not because Malfoy told her to but because all this stress was fatiguing and she was starving.

The two sat at the table and dined without saying a word to each other. Once they were done they both neatly stacked their dishes and they both felt lost. What were they to do now?   
Draco sighed and rubbed his forehead. His father was in Azkaban for fifty years due to his war crimes and probably would never see outside of that jail again, until this mess got out to the general public and ended up in newspapers his father wouldn’t know, because he sure wasn’t going to tell him. His mother was on ten years house arrest at the Manor and he felt like he owed it to her to tell her before she heard it from someone else. The only problem being that he wasn’t exactly sure how to tell her or how she would react.   
Hermione’s voice interrupted the haze he was in, “How are we going to tell our parents? What are we going to tell our parents?”  
Draco looked at her and narrowed his eyes “I have no bloody idea what I’m going to tell my mother Granger, but as for you I feel as if your letter should go like this, dear mum and dad, I know the two of you aren’t going to understand anything I tell you but I majorly fucked up today, shocking I know, but due to this fuck up I am bonded to the amazing Draco Malfoy, I was the one who lucked out, but being bonded is like being married times a hundred, there’s probably no way to reverse this so I have to be with him forever. Love, your screw up daughter Hermione.”  
Once Draco had finished his tyrant Granger stared at him with her mouth wide open, looking like an imbecile that he’s starting to think she is.  
After a moment, she got the sense to say something back, “That was incredibly rude, I know this is a completely shitty situation, I know that it’s my fault. But we also both know that we aren’t going to get out of this anytime soon, if ever so maybe we should learn to try our best to get along. I know you hate me but I don’t exactly have warm, fuzzy feelings for you either.”   
“I don’t hate you Granger.” Draco admitted, and it was true.   
Granger huffed “Yeah right Malfoy it’s common sense that you hate me.”  
“Ganger shut your bloody mouth. I don’t hate you, you just annoy the shit out of me,” Which was also true. “If you haven’t noticed I have been trying, I know it may not have been perfect but I am trying. I helped you move your stuff, I stood up for you in the common room, while you just want to whine.”   
Draco’s chest was heaving, he had stood up and started yelling he was so infuriated. “Now Granger, bonding is how all witches and wizards get married if you will. Once we hit the twenty-four-hour mark is when it’s really going to hit us. What McGonagall had said in the classroom is true, for the first month we won’t be able to be away from each other for more than thirty minutes. This along with extreme lust are included to promote early breeding between a couple. We’ll have empathy between each other, and when the bond gets stronger we will be able to send short telepathic messages to each other. If you get physically hurt I will feel it, the same goes for myself. If you look at another man with lust or participate in any sexual acts with another person I will know. And vice versa. A bond, as far as I know can only be broken by death. These things happen so couples want to stay together, they forget they even have another option. I don’t know how this is going to work for us, but I guess we’re going to have to figure it out and get used to it. Now shut up and get ready for bed we have a long day tomorrow.”

Hermione did her nightly routine, trying to digest all the information he told her. She had heard of bonding but she had assumed it was no longer practiced. But it sounded like amazing unity, with the right person that is, she wasn’t sure how this was going to work with herself and Malfoy. Deep down inside, so deep she didn’t even want to admit it to herself, she hoped they could make it work, that if they couldn’t find a way to break it they could find some way to be somewhat happy. She just wasn’t sure Malfoy thought the same way.   
Exiting the bathroom, she walked back into the bedroom to see on the only bed, which was something that she had not noticed before, that Malfoy was there and was stretched out on his back with an arm propped up so he could read a book. She also noticed all he had on was a pair of sweatpants. Not that she wanted to notice but it was impossible not to really. She had gone with a sensible ratty, old tee shirt and shorts herself.   
Were they expected to sleep in the same bed together?  
Well she did suppose they were technically married. She cautiously made her way over to the bed, and slowly got in at the empty side of the bed, but she rolled on her side so her back was facing Malfoy. They didn’t say a word, and they definitely didn’t touch.

Draco had fallen asleep a little after Granger did. He had done so because he didn’t want to accidently touch her and have her freak out. He now had woken up, probably because he was completely worried about how everything was to progress from this point. He rolled over to look at Hermione to notice that she wasn’t there. Draco shot up and began to rapidly look around in the dark and try to find her.   
Eventually he found her laying on the floor, without a blanket or a pillow or anything. He picked up a pillow and threw it at her. She sat up looking around and her hair seeming to fly away from her head.   
“What the bloody hell are you doing Granger?” Draco hissed.   
She narrowed her eyes at him “Well you kept trying to cuddle me.”  
Draco snorted and rolled his eyes, “I’m pretty sure it’s instinctive. Just get back into bed.”  
She shook her head, “Absolutely not.”  
Great. Now he had to deal with this shit, “Ganger it is the middle of the night just get back into bed.”  
She didn’t even dignify him with a response he knew what her answer was.   
Draco heaved a sigh “Fine. I’ll sleep on the floor.”  
Luckily for him she obviously was already sick of the floor, so she crawled back into bed and he took a pillow and laid on the floor. That was until she fell back asleep he rejoined her in the bed as well. There wasn’t a bloody chance he would sleep on the floor, that was for sure.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The sunlight streamed through the blinds, and almost rendered Hermione blind. She rapidly blinked her eyes trying to save them. Then she shifted around trying to wake herself up, sitting up she looked around and noticed she didn’t see Malfoy anywhere. Not that she wanted to, but she started panicking. How long had he been gone? She didn’t feel different at all so obviously not thirty minutes. There was no way he’d be gone longer than that, right? After all he is the one who told her all about what it meant to be bonded, he would know more than she would not to be gone for too long.  
Before Hermione could panic for much longer the door swung open and Malfoy walked in carrying different kinds of pastries and two drinks.   
Hermione lunged out of bed “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” her panic and made her voice loud and shrill.  
Malfoy looked slightly panicked and raised up the items he was carrying in his arms “I went to go get us breakfast I figured that neither of us were ready to face the masses yet.”  
Hermione felt her face soften “Oh, well yesterday you mentioned that right now we couldn’t be apart for more than thirty minutes and I’m not exactly sure what would happen if you were gone for that time.”  
Malfoy sat on the edge of the bed “Well, it’ll hurt. It depends on how far the other person is and how long they’ve been gone. Once thirty minutes hits every ten minutes or so that they continue to be gone the pain will intensify.”  
“Then why the hell did you leave without me? You could’ve been stopped and kept up, then what, I’m awaken in pain!” How dare he leave her when if he was accidently gone for too long she would be submerged in pain.   
Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her “I was trying to help you! If you want to go down to the Great Hall together and partake in breakfast, then let’s go. But I didn’t think either of us were ready for that.”  
“Well you could’ve woken me up and told me where you were going.” Hermione was sure that she was right in this situation.  
Draco narrowed his eyes, “Ganger, I would be very careful if I was you. I am trying my best not be a prick. Personally, I am trying my best not to make this situation worse than it is, I am trying to do everything I can to make this situation the best it can be, and do what I can for you. So, unless you want me to stop trying and make this situation a lot worse I would start trying if I was you.”  
Hermione was shocked to say the least, she looked down at the bed so she didn’t have to face Malfoy yet. She honestly did see what he was saying, he honestly had done a lot for her since they have been in this situation. She was so lost in her impression of him as a prick, she didn’t even give Malfoy a chance, even though he was the one proactively trying to make this situation better, he was the one that was right, Hermione was wrong. For a moment, she felt tears sting her eyes from the shame, she quickly blinked them away and looked back up at Malfoy who was still standing in their bedroom doorway, holding breakfast, and looking very angry.   
“I-I am so sorry Malfoy, you’re completely right. I’m the one who got us into our situation and you’re the one who has done everything for me, and you had to point it out to me several times for me to even see the truth, I promise I’m going to try a lot harder. I don’t want to be miserable for the rest of my life, I promise from now on I am going to try my best to make this situation better.”   
Hermione honestly felt a lot better, it was as if for the first time since they made that potion yesterday she could breathe, and she truly meant what she said  
Draco’s face softened after Hermione’s apology, he stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed.  
“It’s okay Granger,” he sighed “I don’t want to be miserable for the rest of my life either. If we truly cannot find a way to break this bond, then let’s work at making this situation not terrible at least.”  
Hermione nodded her head, agreeing with him. Malfoy scooted closer to her on the bed and handed her a pastry, Hermione gave him a weak smile “Thank you Malfoy, this was actually very nice of you.”  
In return to her thanks Malfoy smiled, it was fleeting and only lasted a second, but Hermione was shocked, this wasn’t a smirk, it was an actual smile.   
“I guess the first step we could make is calling each other by our first names Hermione.”  
“That sounds like a plan to me Draco.”   
“All I got to drink was pumpkin juice, is that alright?”  
Hermione gave Draco another soft smile “Yes, that is perfectly fine thank you.”  
The two ate in quiet and it gave Hermione some time to think, this was a big step for the two of them. They were going to be alright, of course this wasn’t the best thing to ever happen to her, but it wasn’t the worse either.   
Suddenly Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the clock on her nightstand, they only had an hour until class and she hadn’t even got out of bed yet. She scrambled out of bed and dug through her drawers to find all the pieces of her uniform. Going towards the bathroom she looked over her shoulder at Draco who was still sitting on the bed, “You better hurry and get ready, we have Transfiguration in an hour.”


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

 

Draco looked over at Hermione, her eyes were flickering back and forth between the professor and her notes. He watched her for a few minutes and noted that her eyes never once diverted between her two targets.  
She wasn't exactly ugly, she had very delicate features, but not mousey. Almost like a doll, but then it was all completely offset by her frizzy, unruly hair. Draco didn't think that anyone else could have the same hair as her. It just wouldn't be right.  
Her blood didn't matter to him. He had seen it spilled all over the floor of his drawing room. It didn't look different than any blood he had ever seen. He had started to figure out that blood supremacy wasn't true anyways but now he didn't even have one argument for the theory that he could speculate. It was completely and utterly disproven.  
No, it wasn't the witches blood, she just annoyed the shit out of him.

Hermione had never felt so out of her element in class. Draco's presence had left her unsettled, she felt as if every move she made was watched and scrutinized and it left her feeling anxious. She kept her eyes on her notes and the professor only. Even though she knew Draco was looking at her she refused to look in his direction. A few hours passed and Hermione realized that next was lunch.  
Hermione lifted her eyes to meet Draco’s, he looked into her eyes and somehow, he probably sensed the panic that was lying beneath them. She swore she could see his features soften a little.

"Hermione, it won't be the end of the world." He whispered.  
"I know it won't be Draco, but I don't know what we're going to do. People have already been giving us strange looks during class. But either you're going to have to sit at the Gryffindor table or I'm going to have to sit at the Slytherin table."  
Draco nodded his head, "I know Hermione, I know. I think that maybe I should try to sit at the Gryffindor table."  
Hermione could feel shock take over her face. Did Draco Malfoy just offer to sit at the Gryffindor table, without any poking and prodding? Without her yelling or trying to tell him what to do? Or Draco trying to tell her what to do? Because they both know she would probably fly off the handle with that one.  
"O-okay." She agreed, for once she didn't even have to argue with him.

When class ended, Draco picked up their stuff and together the two of them made their way through the halls. There were stares just as there had been all morning but in both of their minds they knew that it was about to get much, much worse. Both of them also knew that they had no clue how they were about to handle this, but they knew they were going to get through it together, not that they had any other choice.  
In front of the huge doors that lead into the Great Hall Draco and Hermione stood preparing for what was about to happen side by side and hand in hand. Although neither of them were sure who grabbed whose hand, all they knew was that it happened and it wasn't all bad.  
Hermione decided since they were going to sit at the Gryffindor table she should probably lead them. So, with all the courage she could muster she took a step forward and pushed open the doors. Without any hesitation, she headed towards the Gryffindor table, she located her friends, and she made another brave decision and marched right towards the bunch dragging Draco along with her. She wasn’t going to hide in shame, she was going to act as if nothing was wrong.   
None of her friends saw her approaching, so luckily, she had the element of surprise. She sat down directly in front of Harry, Draco sat next to her, unfortunately he was sitting directly across from Ron. On Harry’s other side sat Ginny, no one was sitting next to herself or Draco, and she had a feeling that no one was going to. All three of her friends looked up simultaneously and froze, staring at the sight in front of them.  
Harry was the first one to break the silence, “Uh, Hermione, would this have anything to do with what happened in potions yesterday? We figured you might need some space, but you never came and told us what happened. Then you moved your stuff out of your room without a word to any of us, then you show up at the table with Malfoy?”  
Hermione sighed “I know Harry I’m sorry. Yesterday was hectic for me and I didn’t get the chance to come talk to anyone. I’m not sure if I would’ve been able to, I was kind of in shock. But, long story short, Draco and I are bonded.”   
She felt as if she couldn’t breathe, she honestly didn’t have a plan to tell everyone a truth, but she instinctively knew the best strategy would be not to lie, and tell the truth like ripping off a Band-Aid.   
The two Wesley siblings reacted quickly. Ginny drained of what little color she had, and Ron seemed to turn a brilliant scarlet. Ron also looked as if he wanted to start a riot at the thought, but he couldn’t find a single word to utter, he was speechless. Harry looked at Ginny confused. She looked between him and the couple sitting across from her.   
“Well, bondage is how many wizard families get married per se.” Ginny slowly explained to Harry, who in return turned as white as his girlfriend.   
Hermione had busied herself with making herself a plate, she looked up to meet Harry’s gaze “It’s true Harry. It was a potions accident but technically Draco and I are married, so I would rather you guys get over it now. Draco is going to have to be around for a while, so you guys can either be civil with him, or choose not to be a part of my life. Because whether you like it or not Draco is a big part of my life now.” she huffed. Hermione had not meant to go on a rant, but she meant every word she said, and it needed to be said now before they encountered any trouble.   
If it was at all possible, Ron became even more red. Still dumbfounded, he rigidly stood from the table and marched out without a single word to any of them.  
Hermione looked up at Ginny and Harry “Anyone else?”  
Both individuals shook their heads. Hermione nodded, “Good, I might have expected as much from Ron, but I don’t want this to come in between us.”  
Hermione looked over at Draco and he was halfway through a plate he had made for himself. He looked up at her and gave her a ghost of a smile. Hermione had done the right thing. While she not have warm, fuzzy feelings for Draco, she still needed to respect him. Draco was now her husband, accident or not, and she had to do her part as he has been doing his. 

The silence soon became awkward, not that Hermione could blame them, this was an awkward conversation, and to be fair she didn’t give them any warning once so ever. Harry, an ever brave soul, was the one to break the silence.   
“So, you moved out of your room Hermione, where did you go?”  
Hermione was hesitant to answer his question, but she wasn’t going to lie to her friends.   
“Well, sometime tonight the bond is going to truly kick in, and after that Draco and I need to stay close to each other for a month. If either one of us are away from the other for a second more than thirty minutes, it’ll become painful for the both of us. So, we moved into a private room together. The good news is it’s right by the library!” Hermione beamed at the thought of being only a few steps away from one of her favorite places in the world.   
Hermione was pulled from her thoughts when she heard Ginny giggle. Harry leaned closer to his girlfriend.  
“Ginny, what in the world are you finding so funny? This is a terrible situation.” Harry hissed.  
“Oh Harry, don’t you see? Only Hermione would find a way to enjoy the little things in a situation like this. She’s so ecstatic over the fact that she finally gets to live next to the library.”  
Harry didn’t find Ginny’s remark amusing, but Draco did. He broke his own silence with one short chuckle that surprised the other three individuals sitting around him. Hermione gave him a soft smile, he was trying too and that’s all she could ask for.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Throughout the day, Draco followed Hermione to all her classes, Hermione spent the day defending Draco, and giving anyone who gave him a glare one in return. They hadn’t gotten the chance to face the Slytherins. Draco could tell Hermione was nervous.   
She would know what to expect from her own housemates, just as Draco knew what to expect from his own. After what he has said to the twins in the common room he knew they were not going to have any trouble. If anything, a few brave souls may grace the couple with a snotty comment Draco would no doubt refute and pair with a stare that will chill anyone to the bone.   
Draco had already planned on continuing to protect Hermione, but after she had done the same for him today at lunch in the Great Hall, Draco was so much more willing to stick up for Hermione. Seeing her devotion in the situation only fueled his, whether he liked it or not Hermione was his wife. Draco had the duty to protect her and her honor, and no sniveling housemate would get in the way of that. 

Hermione turned her eyes towards Draco, when she didn’t say anything he raised an eyebrow at her.   
She sighed “We have potions last, potions with the Slytherins, potions where the twenty-four-hour mark is going to hit us, potions where I messed up for the first time yesterday.”  
Draco rolled his eyes at Hermione “Breathe. I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you Hermione. I’m not going to let anyone disrespect you. So, we’re going to go to class, listen to the lecture, do the potion, and then we can go to the library afterwards. Does that sound like a good plan to you?”  
Hermione nodded her head, and took a deep breath “Yes, that sounds good to me.”  
Draco nodded back at her “So gather all that Gryffindor courage or whatever you want to call it, and suck it up and get in there, because we’re a team now Hermione, and I don’t lose, and I’m not going to let someone who’s a part of my team lose either.”  
Draco was done with this conversation, all the needed to be said had been said, anything further than this would drive them in circles and ultimately piss one of them off, and they really didn’t need that right now. He spun around and grabbed Hermione’s hand, and drug her behind him all the way dungeons. 

As much confidence as Draco seemed to have, he was actually nervous as well. Not that he would say it out loud in a million years, but it was true. He wasn’t scared of their peers as Hermione seemed to be, but she was right about the twenty-four-hour mark. While little strings of the bond could be felt, this was going to be completely different. Once the bond fully hit the couple, there is no telling how they were going to react. Therefore, honeymoons weren’t only a Muggle thing, newly bonded wizards and witches went away after the ceremony. The bond effected every couple different, but it always presents with extreme lusts.   
Draco wasn’t excited for this to happen in the middle of class, Draco wasn’t very excited for this to happen at all. He didn’t think Hermione was ugly, but he wasn’t sure Hermione would let him do anything with her once the bond did hit them. Hermione seemed like a prude, Draco was thankful for this as sex would complicate an already complicated situation between the two of them. 

Walking into the dungeons was like nothing Draco had ever experienced in his life. Before they opened the doors, you could hear the students from the inside, like neither of the students have ever experienced before. As soon as Draco pushed the door open every single student inside the room seemed to stop talking at the same time, and every single eye turned to face the couple in the doorway.   
Draco could feel his mouth pinch, Hermione may be brave, but that doesn’t mean she liked being in this situation, Draco knew she was uncomfortable. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the room, daring anyone to say or do anything. It seemed to work better than one would think, all the students in the room seemed to find anyway to occupy themselves so they no longer where looking at the couple.   
Draco lead Hermione into the room and into the seat where the unfortunate incident happened during yesterday’s class. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and he just smirked, he may protect Hermione from everyone else, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to pick on her every time he got his chance. 

Class started and time seemed to move slower than it ever had in Draco’s entire life. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop, he knew Hermione wasn’t in favor of him making the noise considering that she was trying to concentrate. Draco could tell that her brain was spinning trying to absorb every single word Slughorn said, she was still beating herself up about her mistake. While Draco wasn’t exactly happy that it happened, he was slowly realizing it wasn’t the end of the world, and it was an honest mistake to make. It could happen to anyone. No one would have ever guessed the consequences since they were not warned in any way shape or form. The more Draco thought about it, the more he realized that Slughorn was to blame more than anyone really wanted to admit.   
As the class got closer and closer to ending, Draco could feel his nerves growing. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for the bond, well of course he wasn’t. But what could he do? Absolutely nothing. The best way to handle the situation was how he had already proceeded. He felt as if he could hear the tick of the clock, there wasn’t even a clock in the room. As horrible as it was to admit for Draco he was not keeping his cool, he had been trying, but as the time came he got more and more nervous. Draco didn’t like the unknown.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Hermione was anxious. Hermione might be brave and courageous, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t anxious, because she sure as hell was. She had made sure all day that no one was making Draco uncomfortable, not that any of her classmate’s taunts or stares would make Draco uncomfortable. But that wasn’t to say that she was going to sit there and let it happen. Whether Hermione liked it or not Draco was her husband, she wasn’t going to let anyone disrespect him.   
The day hadn’t been that bad, it was mostly just stares that came their way, but Hermione stared right back. Gradually the number of stares dwindled throughout the day. As the day carried on Hermione had one worry in the back of her mind, potions. Hermione couldn’t hold it in any longer, she turned towards Draco, who in return raised one of his eyebrows at her.   
“We have potions last, potions with the Slytherins, potions where the twenty-four-hour mark is going to hit us, potions where I messed up for the first time yesterday.”  
She was anxious, her chest was getting tighter and tighter the more that she thought about it. For all his faults Draco seemed to be in the same mindset that she was in and he did her best to comfort Hermione. Although Draco did roll his eyes at her, he did have good intentions.   
“Breathe. I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you Hermione. I’m not going to let anyone disrespect you. So, we’re going to go to class, listen to the lecture, do the potion, and then we can go to the library afterwards. Does that sound like a good plan to you?” he questioned Hermione.   
Hermione agreed with him, because it was true. It did sound like a good plan to her, they were in this together. Out of all the people in the room Hermione expected Draco to be one of the last, yet here they were. Hermione was certain that he was on her side, just like she was on his.   
Draco nodded back at her “So gather all that Gryffindor courage or whatever you want to call it, and suck it up and get in there, because we’re a team now Hermione, and I don’t lose, and I’m not going to let someone who’s a part of my team lose either.”  
And that was that. Hermione was satisfied, she was anxious about the bond kicking into full effect, but she could do this. She wasn’t alone, she had Draco and they were both going to do whatever they had to. They were going to get through this.   
Before they opened the doors, you could hear the students from the inside, like neither of the students have ever experienced before. As soon as Draco pushed the door open every single student inside the room seemed to stop talking at the same time, and every single eye turned to face the couple in the doorway.  
Hermione did not like this, she didn’t like this at all. She wasn’t sure if she could even walk into the room, but she knew she had to. She honestly didn’t have a choice, Hermione was no coward and she wasn’t going to allow anyone to have that notation. All of the sudden everyone in the room looked away as fast as they could, Hermione wasn’t sure what had changed but she had a feeling Draco has something to do with it. Hermione hadn’t realized that she had still been frozen in the doorway until Draco put his hand onto her lower back and lead her into the classroom. While Hermione appreciated, him looking out for her that was a little unnecessary. She looked up at him and narrowed his eyes, which in return he just smirked.  
When they got inside the classroom Hermione looked around and noticed the only table left was the one in the front where they had their accident yesterday. Hermione also noticed that the only person looking at her was Harry, who gave her a sympathetic smile, all Hermione could give in return was her own weak smile. Next to Harry sat Ron, who was looking down at the table, even though nothing was there, he was also a brilliant red. Hermine felt a twinge of pity for him. Once she would have done anything to be with him, but after the war their romance has fizzled until it faded away into nothing. In hindsight Hermione couldn’t really say she was surprised, they were two different people who were not destined to be together.   
Draco and Hermione sat down at the table and shared a glance, it all came to this. Hermione was not familiar with bonding. If she would’ve had the chance she would’ve ran to the library and read all about it. Maybe today when they visited the library he would stay long enough to allow her to do some homework and read. Class started and Hermione started taking dutiful notes, as she has in every class she has ever been in. Apparently, Draco decided it wasn’t worth the effort, anytime Hermione glanced at him he was staring off into space, most likely not listening to anything Slughorn said. Hermione also couldn’t ignore the constant drumming of his fingers, which he was most likely aware of the face it was driving Hermione crazy. 

All the sudden she knew, she knew it was time. One quick look at Draco confirmed that he knew it was too. It was as if she couldn’t get enough air, she tried to continue getting air into her lungs without gasping. She didn’t want to draw any more attention to them, no one knew what was happening. That was except for the couple and both Ron and Harry. She didn’t want anyone else to know.   
Her heart started pounding, and she was sure she was probably perspiring. Another look at Draco proved to be a mistake. The moment she locked eyes with him she could feel the bind hit full force. Draco was also feeling these symptoms of anxiety, so Hermione was feeling it twice fold. She was suddenly swimming in feelings, she couldn’t determine which were hers and which belonged to Draco. She was lost. Looking at Draco again she saw his clear, gray eyes turn into a dark stormy gray, the same moment she was hit with a wave of lust. She wasn’t a stranger to these feelings, but in all honesty, she has never felt it with this intensity. All she could think about was Draco. What his long, lean body would look like naked, inside their bedroom. What his hands would feel like over her skin, what it would feel like to feel his heat.   
Suddenly, he got an image in her head, it was her. Naked and panting, laid out on their bed. She knew this was not an image she had produced, but one that had originated in Draco’s head and made its way to hers. Her face became aflame with embarrassment. If she saw an image from his mind it would only make sense that one of hers and into his head. Which only fueled her embarrassment. Hermione wanted to leave class as she knew this wasn’t appropriate and she wanted to process these thoughts away from the public eye. Plus, Draco would have to go with her and she did not want to be alone with him at this second. She didn’t trust herself, and she definitely didn’t trust him.


End file.
